


Waiting for the hope

by ColdAtomHeadcanons



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: AU, Len's the supposed good guy, M/M, Ray's criminal, Role Reversal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2016-09-10
Packaged: 2018-08-14 07:49:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8004334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdAtomHeadcanons/pseuds/ColdAtomHeadcanons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Role Reversals AU</p><p>“Oh come on!” The guy in front of him whines. “It’s not like I would do anything to them! I’m not a bad guy!”<br/>“Weeell…” Ramon shrugs. “You did the whole breaking and entering thing.” The guy turns his head to stare at Ramon like he betrayed him. Len really doesn’t want to comment on that. “Then there was the threatening-“<br/>“I didn’t threaten you!” The guy gasps. “I asked for your help!” He exclaims. Len can’t help himself as he lifts his eyebrow.<br/>“That’s why their phones are turned off?”<br/>That actually makes the guy wince.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Waiting for the hope

**Author's Note:**

> Ask: I'd love to see what you do with a role reversal with Len as the cynical engineering genius and Ray as the cheerful master criminal.

Len should’ve known something is wrong when he stepped inside the STAR Labs just by how  _quiet_  the place is. He doesn’t remember it being like that, not since Barry got adopted – no, that’s not right. Len doesn’t remember the place quiet since Barry woke up. There is always some movement with Barry hardly being able to stand still, or the team’s (loudly) running tests, or just laughing and being friendly. Even when Barry’s not around. It’s almost like his presence broke something in Snow and she’s talking to the team more and more. Like something broke in Ramon and brought the talkative guy back.

Len almost misses the old times when they were all feeling way too guilty about the particle accelerator to act out.

The quiet right now feels almost unnatural though, and Len’s hand slips down to his tight, grasping at the Cold gun. He slips the goggles over his eyes and as he makes his way through the dark STAR Labs he wonders if he should call Barry - he is on some kind of mission with the Arrow, though and Ramon had problems reaching him the day ago as well. 

“I can’t do that.” Len can hear Ramon, his voice strained a bit, he’s about step into the room when second voice, one Len doesn’t recognize, comes.

“Come on, it’s just a little change to the ATOM suit.”

Len’s hand grips the Cold Gun firmer as he presses his back against the wall and glances around the corner. He can see Snow, sitting on the chair, cuddled in big blanket with a mug in her hands, sipping at it lightly and looking in front of her. Len leans a little bit further, trying to see what has Snow’s attention and when he does notice, he blinks.

Ramon is standing next to a guy – talk, dark and rather handsome, Len grudgingly admits, and is staring at him as if he is the world’s savior himself.

“ATOM?” He asks quietly and the other guy shrugs.

“Short for Advanced Technology Operating Mechanism.” He explains and grins and Len can see Ramon’s eyes getting wide and bright.

“… wow. You’re the only one other than me who’s good at naming things.” Ramon pretty much has hearts in his eyes and Len frowns. There is something off about the scene, for once he never saw the guy around before. For second if he didn’t then neither did Snow and Ramon, but they are both in the room looking as comfortable as they can be… and third Ramon doesn’t want to upgrade the suit he was working on for as long as Len can remember. That makes no sense what so ever, so when Len steps from behind the corner his gun is raised and he’s looking at the intruder.

An intruder who turns around as Len steps in, his eyes widen and his hands fly up into the air in the surrender gesture.

“Hey, hey! That looks dangerous. Watch what you’re doing with it.” He squeaks, his eyes wide and Len’s eyes narrow.

“Ramon, Snow, you guys okay?” He asks, his eyes not moving from the guy in front of him.

“Oh come on!” The guy in front of him whines. “It’s not like I would do anything to them! I’m not a bad guy!”

“Weeell…” Ramon shrugs. “You did the whole breaking and entering thing.” The guy turns his head to stare at Ramon like he betrayed him. Len really doesn’t want to comment on that. “Then there was the threatening-“

“I didn’t threaten you!” The guy gasps. “I asked for your help!” He exclaims. Len can’t help himself as he lifts his eyebrow.

“That’s why their phones are turned off?”

That actually makes the guy wince.

“Well, I can’t have them calling the Flash right away,” Len can  _feel_  the satisfied smirk on his own face, “but I didn’t threaten anyone! I even made hot chocolate!” He huffs pointing to the table with cups.

“It’s really good.” Snow pipes up from the corner, blushing lightly.

“Thank you.” The guy nods and beams at the Snow before tuning to Len again smiling like everything is good in the world. “See? Nothing bad happening.”

Len lifts an eyebrow. He’s about to tell him that he’s calling the cops or the Flash anyway, when something big hits the wall and the lights go out for a moment or two, before the emergency light source starts flickering.

“That would be my ride. Thank you for your cooperation.” He grins and he’s suddenly half hidden behind Ramon. If Len doesn’t want Ramon to be frozen over as well he can’t do anything. He curses and watches as the guy presses at the suit, getting it to shrink before pocketing it.

“I’ll be taking this with me.” He adds. He moves quicker than Len expects him to and when he shoots his gun, the guy is on the other side of the room already, rising a hand – the glove of the suit sitting on it. Len’s ice beam hits something like a shield. Len frowns and the guy beams.

“I’ll see you guys around.”

“The Atom.”

As the guy escapes in a car, Len really wonders just what did he do in his past lives to have  _these_  as his colleagues.

It’s a second, maybe two before the situation catches up with Len and he’s glaring at Ramon. He can see the red blur running into the room, but he doesn’t look away from Ramon.

“That was a heat shield.” Len’s not even asking. When he thinks about it now, the way his gun couldn’t go through it, that’s the only explanation. “You made a heat shield in the suit to counter my gun.”

“What? No.” That’s Barry, the mask finally stopping with them after he realizes there is no immediate danger anymore. Len doesn’t say anything to that – the fact that Snow doesn’t say a word and the way Ramon is looking guilty is enough to go by, even for Barry.

“What? Cisco, man, why would you do that?”

“It’s… it’s not just him! It’s in case we have any meta-human with ice powers and –“

“Because we’ve seen so many of them until now.” Len interrupts. Barry’s disapproving look says that Len should feel betrayed. “It’s because Mick, isn’t it?”

“Well,  _sorry_  if we don’t trust you!”

“You trusted him before.” Barry says, disappointment obvious in his voice.

“But that was before we knew he is a friend with a crazy criminal! I make a heat gun, it goes missing and suddenly your old pal shows up with it?!”

“You didn’t seem friendly with ‘The Atom’ at all.” Len spats and Ramon blinks, before taking almost nonexistent step back.

“That’s different. He’s not a criminal-” Ramon huffs.

“Sorry to break it to you, Ramon, but stealing is still a criminal activity.”

Ramon blinks at him, as if thinking for a second then his eyes widen and he jumps.

“My suit!”

Len wants to get angry. He wants to get annoyed, he wants to start yelling. But in the end he just turns around, leaving those two behind.

The first time Len meets ‘The Atom’, he ends up arguing with his team and he’s not too impressed.

* * *

 

There’s annoying banging on the door and if Lisa forgot her keys again, Len’s going to have to talk to her. He doesn’t mind her dropping by whenever, but she has this horrible habit of coming when she breaks up with her girlfriends. She is like an avalanche then – unstoppable.

When he finally forces himself to get to the door and open he finds out it’s not Lisa.

“Mick, we talked about this.” He grumbles. After the fiasco a week ago he doesn’t want to prove Ramon right. He would still be wrong, but in that little head of his he might connect the dots wrong. Like usual.

“I need your help, Snart.” There’s something in Mick’s voice – a tension that Len didn’t hear for a long time, longer than he can really remember. That’s the thing that makes him sigh and open the door fully, frowning when Mick turns and walks back to his car. Only to come back few moments later, carrying a body in his arms and when the light from Len’s house hits Mick as he shoulders past Len, Len blinks.

He knows that bruised and battered face.

‘The Atom’ is all bloodied up, there are cuts and blooming bruises on his face and even his clothes are shredded on some parts. It looks like the guy was in some kind of knife game, with more knives than he has hands.

“Santini didn’t really play fair.” Mick sneers when he puts the guy on Len’s couch. Len tries not to groan. He knows how hard the bloodstains are to get out. “He sent five of his mafia boys on Haircut.” He growls. There is a strange sense of protectiveness coming off of Mick in waves and Len frowns.

“Hospital would help him more. If he has internal bleeding-“

“Hospital means prison.” Mick interrupts him. “We both know Pretty Boy here wouldn’t last a day in there. If he dies, he dies.” Len watches as Mick’s hand tightens on Atom’s arm. “But let it be on his own terms. Please.” The last word is so quiet that Len’s not even sure if he heard it right. If it’s not just his mind playing tricks on him, but Mick’s staring at him something akin to  _hope_ … and Len curses before turning and walking to the bathroom.

“If he dies, you’re getting rid of his body.”  Len warns, returning with his aid kid, preparing the needle. These injuries will need stitching  _at least_.  

“I have enough practice in _that_.” Mick smirks and Len pretends he doesn’t see the way Mick’s hand subtly runs over Atom’s hair.

Len’s not really sure how long it takes to patch the guy up, how much blood he lost or if he’ll even survive, but he knows is that he’s still not impressed when he meets the Atom second time.  

* * *

 

Mick leaves once the injuries are taken care of. Len actually kicks him out, saying there’s not much they can do other than wait anyway and he can see that Mick’s fingers twitch with need for some kind of revenge. He almost pities Santini’s men. Len knows what the Heat gun is capable of and he also knows that Mick won’t think twice about using it.

Len sighs as he can see the car speeding of, before turning back to the living room. The guy’s still lying on the bed, his chest rising shallowly and Len sighs. He carries the guy to the bedroom, putting him into his own bed. If he’s going to take care of the guy, he might as well do it properly.

Len must’ve jolted some of his injuries, because the dark eyes open, staring at Len for a moment before a wide smile appears on the guy’s face.

“You’re an angel, aren’t you?”

Len’s eyebrow twitches and he throws a blanket over the Atom’s head, before going to the kitchen for a cold pack. The guy has to be delirious from all the lost blood.

* * *

 

Mick checks on the guy three times in as many hours and Len gets curious. Who is this man who’s able to earn Mick’s concern and loyalty? It’s not that hard to find the information on the guy that doesn’t even wear a mask when he’s doing his ‘business’ in the database Felicity made for the Star Labs and Len frowns at the screen. The Atom, Ray Palmer, hacker, criminal and a thief, partner of Mick Rory.

The brother of Sydney Palmer, owner of Palmertech that’s not doing so well lately. Also a place that The Atom – Raymond – seems to visit the most. Somehow, Len’s pretty sure there’s not any love between those two lost.

The file also states that Raymond is the modern Robin Hood. Stealing from the rich houses and art galleries, selling the goods on the black market. Then the money suddenly appears with people who need it.

Felicity added a small ‘good person’ to his name and Len scoffs. Good people tried (and failed) to change the system from within, not like this.

* * *

Palmer wakes up several times during the night, half delirious, his eyes half-closed and breathing shallowly. Len tries to get as much water into him as he can and hopes that the guy doesn’t have internal bleeding since he obviously has few broken bones already.

Len’s sitting next to his bed, parts of the cold gun spread out on the table next to him when he hears the groan.

Raymond is stirring on the bed, and when his eyes open they are lined with pain but they are at least clear this time.

“Not a dream then.” He rasps out and Len rolls his eyes. Instead of answering he reaches over and presses his hand against Palmer’s forehead noting contently that at least his fever went down. Maybe Mick could get the guy sooner than Len thought. Before Barry drops in.

Something must be showing on Len’s face, because the guy pulls his head away and tries to sit up. “I’m sorry. I’ll get out of your hair soon enough-“

Palmer winces as Len pushes him back on the bed. For a moment he feels a bit of remorse – the guy is hurt, after all. But it disappears in next moment, because if Palmer wants to walk around, then he’d hurt himself worse than that push of Len’s would.

“Stay. Mick would… complain if something happened to you after he went through all the trouble of getting you here.” Len huffs and when Palmer looks at him with wide, almost  _innocent_ eyes, Len huffs. “Drop the mask.” He adds and gets up, ignoring the confused blink of Raymond’s eyes as he steps out of the room. If Raymond’s up, he can at least try to get some food into him.

* * *

 

Several days go by and Palmer is still in Len’s bed. Mostly because Len doesn’t want to let him go out on the streets or not really secure safe house, just to have him back few days later with a punctured lung.

It’s not because Len’s worried. It’s not because the guy got under his skin with his love for bad TV shows – really, Len could swear that in those few days he saw more soap operas, Master Chefs, Projects Runways and Hell’s Kitchens than he did through his whole life. Even as Lisa’s brother.

It’s not because of his stupid innocent face, or the constant worrying either. (And the guy’s not even worrying about himself, but about  _Len._  About whether no one will worry if Len won’t come to Star Labs. About how he doesn’t want the others to push him away if they find out that he let Raymond stay in his place, taking care of him.)

It’s certainly not because of the way something warm spreads through Len’s chest as his fingers curl on the handle of his house as he steps inside. It’s not because of the way Len’s heart makes a little jump at the thought of the house not being empty, of someone waiting for him. It’s not because of the way Len’s mind runs over all the little things – the small smiles, the bright laughs, the warm looks.

“I’m going to make the best pancakes you’ve ever eaten, Ray!”

Len’s heart almost stops when he hears the yell coming from kitchen. The shopping bags don’t fall from his hands, but it’s a close one.

“Lisa?” He asks, Lisa jumps up, before turning around and grinning.

“Lenny!” She says, beaming and Len’s throat goes dry. His eyes jump towards his bedroom. Lisa’s suddenly there, pressed up against Len and grinning like the Cheshire cat that she is.

“Oh, I’ve  _seen_.” She smirks cheekily. “It’s a  _niiiiice_  piece of -well, you know.” She winks and shrugs. “He also told me that he can’t get out of bed – nice work, Lenny! Who knew you’d be such an animal in bed, once you’d stop with that celibacy thing.” Lisa snickers, patting his chest.

The same chest that finally starts to lift with an almost relieved breath.

“It’s not a celibacy thing.” Len says and Lisa snorts.

“Yeah, you keep saying that. But really, when was the last time you actually wet your wee-wee? Swung your shlong?” Lisa’s wiggling her eyebrows again and Len rolls his eyes. Lisa knew exactly what to say to be the most annoying. He doesn’t say anything, walks to the kitchen to put the bags down and his sister follows, this time without the smirk on her face.

“He also told me he’s Mick’s friend.” Her voice is quiet, hesitant and Len knows exactly what the unvoiced question is. But it’s not his decision, wasn’t for few years now and Len shakes his head.

“Lisa… don’t.” He mutters and his sister frowns, but turns to the kitchen table and Len pretends he doesn’t see how wet hear eyes are. When she picks up the plate with pancakes and turns around, there’s grin on her face again.

“Coming, Ray!”

Len sighs and for the first time in forever regrets that he doesn’t pray.

* * *

 

The evening, surprisingly, isn’t a total disaster. If Len wants to be bold, he can actually call it enjoyable.

Len helps Ray sit up while they watch a movie. Len steals pancakes from Ray’s plate while the guy’s staring at the screen as if whatever animated movie they are watching is a miracle itself and Lisa keeps wiggling her eyebrows and snickering into her hand. It’s comfortable, almost homely and Len can see Ray nodding off, until Lisa stands up.

“Alright, love birds.  I’m gonna leave you two to it.” She purrs winking and standing up. But before she can move too far, Ray’s hand jumps out, catching her wrist.

“You know… Mick doesn’t talk too much, but when he talks about you guys, his eyes are warm and as close to happy as I ever saw him. When he talks about you guys, he talks about family. And he misses you.  _A lot._ ” He says quietly.

Len’s eyes widen and he looks from Ray to his sister. His sister who’s staring at Ray before smiling, true and almost shy with tears in her eyes and squeezing Ray’s hand. She doesn’t say anything, just nods and turns walking out of the room. Len stands up and follows her, and once he makes his way to the door, Lisa throws herself at him. Len’s arms comes up, hugging her just as firmly. He’s not sure how long they stay like that, maybe minutes or hours, but when Lisa pulls back she smiles.

“I like him. Good choice, Lenny.” Lisa kisses Len’s cheek and doesn’t turn back again. Len watches her car leave, before walking to Ray’s -   _his_  – room.

“Did you hear our conversation from kitchen?”

Ray slowly blinks at him, tired and confused, his eyes heavy with residual pain and sleep.

“What conversation?”

Len shakes his head, taking Ray’s plate and rolling his eyes.

“Whatever. Sleep.” He doesn’t even finish and Ray’s eyes are already closed, his breathing deep and even. Len watches him for a moment, and he knows he shouldn’t, but he still takes a step closer and his fingers slowly burying themselves into Ray’s hair. It’s soft, even though Len is sure it shouldn’t be, not with the fever the guy had, and all the sweat. Len’s hand moves, slipping down over Ray’s forehead and brow, before cupping his cheek.

“Thank you.” He whispers and thinks about Lisa’s smile instead of how Ray, still out of it, leans into the touch.

* * *

 

“An idiot sandwich.” Raymond snickers, grinning at Len. “She says she really did that to him! Even with the pieces of bread and everything!” Len rolls his eyes. He wonders when Lisa and Ray became that close.

* * *

 

“Do you think there are aliens, Len?” Raymond asks as he forces his eyes from the newest movie that Lisa downloaded for him.

“What?”

“Aliens. You know, going to other planets, meeting other races. Making friends.”

Len scoffs.

“With  _your_ luck, you’d meet the Borgs.”

Ray’s staring at him, wide-eyed and Len sighs.

“What?”

“Resistance is futile.” The guy says hesitantly.

“Planning to assimilate me, Raymond?” Len asks, lifting an eyebrow.

“So it  _was_  a Star Trek reference!” A wide smile spreads on Raymond’s lips and Len’s sure that if the guy had a tail, it’d be waggling excitedly.

Len’s not smiling back. But he does sit down next to Raymond and turns to the screen as well. If his hand touches Raymond’s, he’s just too focused on the movie to notice. He still doesn’t notice when Raymond’s fingers curl around his own.

* * *

 

Ray’s able to move around the house and at the moment he’s sitting at the table eating dinner and chatting with Lisa, giving advice on ‘boy problems’. Len wonders if he knows his sister is in relationship with the guy he held hostage just some days ago.

Len ignores them, continues to eat as the two change the topic and are arguing about this movie or that when it hits him.

Raymond’s getting better. Soon he’ll be well enough to go back to his criminal ways. And Mick.

Len frowns and pushes the plate away. He’s not hungry anymore.

* * *

 

It’s the waiting, that’s worst. Len knows that. He remembers sitting by his mother’s bed, watching her sleep and wondering if that will be the time she won’t wake up. His father didn’t lie to him. He told him his mother was dying, that it was just a matter of time.

So Len watched and waited. When his mother was still smiling a few days later, Lenny could feel a shimmer of hope. When she was holding his hand a week later, the hope bloomed. And when she didn’t wake up a month later, the hope shattered.

Len remembers the pain – raw and all consuming, choking and horrible. Maybe it’s not just the waiting that’s the worst. The hope is, as well.

Len refuses to wait and hope for the loss of an important person again.

* * *

 

Len finds Ray behind the counter, humming and preparing dinner. He turns when he sees Len stepping in and smiles.

“Len, hey-“

“What are you still doing here?” Len asks, the words hard and cold – exactly the way he intended them to be.

“I… I wanted to surprise you.” Len can see the corners of Ray’s mouth falling down as he takes a hesitant step closer to him. “Len… is somethi-“

“I made sure you’re not dead – I paid Mick back what I owed him. If you’re healthy enough to parade around the kitchen, then why the hell are you still here? I have my own life, I don’t have the time to play babysitter.” Ray flinches at Len’s words and Len can see the pure hurt in Ray’s eyes. He stares at Len for a moment and then he gives a chuckle, his head hanging down as he nods. When he looks up he’s grinning a fake, wide smile, but Len can see the trembling lips –  _wrong, wrong, WRONG_  Len’s mind screams.

“Yeah, I’m sorry. You’re right, I just uh…” His voice is shaky and he clears his throat and closes his eyes, shaking his head. It seems like it physically hurts for him to get the words out. “Let my imagination go wild again.” Ray forces out and finally looks at Len again, his eyes glittering with unshed tears and the fake  _wrong_  smile is still on his lips. He puts the dish-cloth on the table as he goes and stops in the doorway next to Len. Len can feel the heat of Ray’s shoulder brushing against his own.

“Thank you. For everything.” Ray’s moving again, and only when Len hears the door shut, does Len press his back against the door-frame, sliding down. He pulls his knees up, presses his face against them and takes a deep breath, rubbing his chest. The ache there isn’t real. Nothing hurts.

Lisa finds him several hours later and she doesn’t ask. She just kneels down next to him, her arms closing around his shoulders and she sighs.

“Oh, Lenny.”

* * *

 

Len doesn’t expect the punch, but when it comes he’s not surprised. He’s sprawled on the ground, staring up at enraged Mick who’s glaring holes into him.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” He hisses, his hand still curled into fist and twitching.

 Len is not stupid enough to pretend he doesn’t know what Mick is grumbling about. He spits out the blood pooling in his mouth and frowns.

 “Exactly what I told Raymond. I have my own lif-“

 “Bullshit, Snart, we both know that.” Mick’s eyes are hard, shooting daggers in him. Len can’t help baring his teeth, the pull hurts, but it doesn’t matter – if he’s reading Mick right, he’s going to hurt much more.

 “Raymond is a big boy. I’m sure he’ll survive.”

 Mick scoffs.

 “I wouldn’t bet on it. The kid didn’t have much self-esteem before you. He has even less of it now.”

 “Good thing he has _you_ to raise it.” Len spits and he wonders if that’s the mistake. If that’s the moment when Mick comes closer, hitting him again and again – until his face is all bloodied and unrecognizable. But to Len’s surprise the man groaned, his shoulders falling a bit.

 “If that’s what you think, you’re an idiot.” Mick doesn’t say more, he also doesn’t help Len up as he leaves.  

* * *

No one’s greeting Len when he comes home. There are no laughs, no smiles or warm looks. No one to share dinner with. 

Len turns the TV on as he cleans his Cold Gun and pretends it’s not because the house is too quiet.

* * *

“But Barry can’t be at both places at once.” Caitlin says quietly, exchanging a look with Felicity.

Len frowns.

“Stopping Brie Larvan is the most important thing.” Wells exclaims and leans to the microphone. “Go for Brie, Barry.”

“But Dr. McGee-“

“Christina will have to tend for herself.” Len shoots Wells a look. While he agrees, there is something almost vindictive in his voice.

“I cannot let her _die_.”

“If you save her we’ll loose Brie.” Wells’ voice is hard, uncompromising.

 “Well, maybe I can help you. Bees can’t penetrate my suit.” A new voice comes from the com, one that makes Len’s heart beat quickly in his chest, the screen flashes, familiar face appearing on it and before he knows it, he’s at the com.

 “Mr. Palmer. This is a secure line.” Wells lifts an eyebrow.

 “Not _that_ secure.” Felicity mutters from the side, then lifts her hands up in defense when Caitlin and Cisco look at her. “No, really. You guys could do so much better if you’d just let me play with your stuff more. I mean, the database I gave you is perfect, if I could play around more-“

 “Why would you do that?” That’s Barry, asking in the com and Len doesn’t even need to hear the answer to know. It’s because Raymond is stupid. It’s because he can’t keep his nose in his own stuff and not bother other people. It’s because Raymond just can’t sit on the sidelines.

 “… I don’t like people dying.”

 It’s because Raymond is so stupidly _good_.

 “Very well.” Wells nods and Len’s eyes widen before he turns to the guy.

 “You can’t just agree to that!”

 Len watches as Wells presses the mute on the mike and frowns.

 “We don’t have any other choice, Mr. Snart. Now if this is going to be a problem, I’ll advice you to leave.”

 Maybe he should do that. Maybe he should turn on his heel and walk away, but worry, all the what ifs are squeezing at his heart. As if he would be able to change anything from his place behind the com.

 Len sits down and Wells nods.

 “Very well.” The com is turned on once again. “Mr. Palmer will protect Tina.”

 “The Atom.” Cisco corrects and Len bites his lip. If Raymond dies by stupid bees, Len’s going to _kill_ him.

* * *

“The bees are already there.” Len can hear Raymond in the com and he frowns, turning to Felicity.

 “Can you jam their frequency?”

 “I already tried.” Felicity winces, then frowns. “But I might be able to redirect them onto a new target. The Atom get ready for incoming.”

 Len’s eyes widen and he looks at the screen and the little dots that’s Raymond and the bees.

 “Can’t get rid of them.” Ray growls into Len’s ear and Len frowns.

 “Ocean.” Cisco jumps next to him, leaning over. “If the bots follow you into the water, their electronics will fry.”

 “… got it.” Ray answers after a second or two. His voice is strong, _determined_ and Len’s sure something’s wrong. When he sees Ray’s dot coming closer to the water, his eyes widen.

 “Wait. So will his suit!” Len yells and when he hears Ray’s voice again, he can almost _see_ him smiling.

 “It’s okay, Len.”

 “It’s _not_ okay. Raymond don’t you _dare-_ “ Too late. He can see the dot falling down and Len growls, grabs the keys and _runs_. He tears through the halls of the STAR Labs, jumps to the car and drives as if his life depended on it.

 Maybe it does.

 “Send me the coordinates.” He growls in phone.

 “Already have them.” Maybe Felicity isn’t so horrible. Len might even like her on the team, when he’ll have the time to think about that. At the moment he drives, not caring about what’s going on with Barry and the rest, he follows the slowly blinking dot in the ocean. That’s _still_ in the ocean.

 And it’s not coming up.

 Len doesn’t know how, but he’s suddenly out of the car, running down the pier and jumping into the water.  It’s cold, freezing almost, but Len doesn’t care. He whips around, searching, _hoping_ …

 And there he is. Fighting with the too heavy suit _without breath_. Len swims over as quickly as he can and when he reaches Raymond he grabs the back of his head and presses his mouth against Ray’s, pushing, forcing the air into his lungs. Len’s fingers join Raymond’s clawing at the suit and together they manage to tear just enough off for Len to pull the guy out.

 When Len drags him onto the shore, Ray’s coughing his lungs out. Then he turns to Len, his face sickeningly white, wet and shivering.

 “If I tell you I broke my arm, will you patch me up again?” The guy is smiling, like was just let in on a secret that nobody else knows and Len growls, his hands framing Raymond’s cold, _cold_  face and Len’s kissing him, his teeth pulling at Raymond’s bottom lip and pushing for more. It’s not gentle, it’s not soft. The kiss is raw and rough, Len needing … _something_. Some kind of proof that whatever stupidity the guy did, he’s still,… he’s still…

He pulls away, pressing his forehead against Raymond’s. He can feel Raymond’s hands running up and down his arms, as if _Len_ is the fool jumping into water with _metal_ or whatever suit, running from bees.

 “I’m fine. It’s okay, Len. I’m fine.” He whispers and Len opens his eyes – he isn’t even aware he closed them – and frowns.

 “You’re an idiot.”

 The idiot grins, and Len can’t stand the look of that. So he kisses those lips again.

**Author's Note:**

> Come talk to me at coldatomheadcanons.tumblr.com ! :)


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